Hokkaido is now receiving much attention as one of Asia’s prime tourist destinations. Eastern Hokkaido (or Higashi Hokkaido) in particular is known to be popular among tourists who appreciate nature.

It is, however, an expansive natural region, and most people have a strong impression that it cannot be traveled effectively without a rental car. That is why not all too many people have taken the plunge and made their way to Higashi Hokkaido.

Last year (2016) however, a limited-time tourist bus began making trips starting in Sapporo and looping around Eastern Hokkaido. The name of that bus? The Higashi-Hokkaido Tour Bus! Now receiving attention for its route which runs from Sapporo to Shiretoko (Hokkaido’s easternmost point) over four days, this bus offers plenty of opportunities for sightseeing along the way.Read more

From New Chitose Airport—the “gateway to Hokkaido”—to Sapporo it takes only about 50 minutes if you go in a straight line over the Hokkaido Expressway. However, if you’re renting a car at New Chitose Airport and have some time to spare; I recommend not heading straight for Sapporo, but instead to take a route along Lake Shikotsu, where there are several sights worth seeing.

It’s a bit of a detour, but it’s a nice drive with an abundance of nature and a typical Hokkaido-ish feel to it. A few Chitose sightseeing spots await you as well, so let’s see check this route out!

Here I will introduce sightseeing waypoints along Lake Shikotsu in the order they are passed when driving the route from New Chitose Airport to Sapporo.Read more

Noboribetsu Onsen is a popular hot spring area in Hokkaido. With many types of hot springs of various spring qualities, it is referred to as the “Department Store of Onsens”.

The location of this hot spring area makes it a great base for sightseeing. It is a 90 minute drive if you take the highway from Sapporo and a 60 minute drive from Shin-Chitose Airport. The fastest route you can take to get from Sapporo to Noboribetsu Onsen is the one in which you take the highway.

But this time we want to introduce a route on which you can enjoy some sightseeing along the way, as well as the sightseeing spots that are located on this route. This is a great driving route on which you can spend a day sightseeing while traveling from Sapporo to Noboribetsu Onsen. Why not include it in your list of places to go while you are in Hokkaido?Read more

Many people on vacation in Hokkaido travel between the two major cities Sapporo and Asahikawa. Asahikawa has lots of sightseeing spots, like Asahiyama Zoo, famous throughout Japan, and if you’re a fan of sake you’ll definitely want to see the Otokoyama Sake Brewing Museum. Also, around Asahikawa are areas such as Furano and Biei filled with the wonderful Hokkaido scenery, and it has good access to northern and eastern Hokkaido, so it is a popular base for tourists.

This article will compare the distance and time from Sapporo to Asahikawa using three different modes of transport: train, bus, and car.
*The information provided in this article is accurate as of September 2016, and is subject to change.Read more

In Eastern Hokkaido, there are many fascinating tourist spots and highlights, such as Shiretoko Peninsula, Kushiro Marshland, and Abashiri.
Let us introduce you to the highlights and sightseeing spots that are familiar to the locals in Eastern Hokkaido.
We will also share information about dining and events that can only be enjoyed in Eastern Hokkaido.
We’d love to have you visit Eastern Hokkaido at least once. Please take a moment to read this article at least once before you visit Eastern Hokkaido. We’d love to have you feel and enjoy to the fullest the charms that can only be experienced in Eastern Hokkaido, a place blessed with abundant nature.Read more

Look at any guidebooks or information sites, and it’ll tell you that July is the best season to visit Hokkaido. They’ll say that this or that is the best. But don’t you find that there’s too much information, and that you’re at a loss to choose where to go?

If you’re saying it’s the best season, then sure… But really, there’s no bad season to visit Hokkaido. We can promise that. In the huge expanse of Hokkaido, there’s always somewhere in its best season.

But it’s true that there are certain sights and tastes you can only enjoy at a particular time of year. So, this time we’re going to give you our carefully selected picks for July.Read more

Summer is about to start from June in Hokkaido. There are probably a lot of people who have questions about what to do in Hokkaido, what kind of events take place there, how the weather and climate is, or what kind of clothes to wear.

Hokkaido is a wonderful place that can be enjoyed in each of the four seasons. Even each month has something special to offer! We’ll be introducing to you a roundup of the sightseeing spots that you should definitely visit in June. The coming season will make it a great summer retreat. We hope you have a fun and refreshing time in Hokkaido this summer!

Biei is a famous sightseeing spot, visited alongside Furano, that has spectacular views and can be enjoyed from Spring through Autumn. Even if you have some vague desire to go to visit Biei, we’re sure you’d like to know the major spots there. Morever, Biei and Furano are rather different, so it’ll be more fun if you get to know about these places before you go!

We’ll be giving you a roundup of what’s alluring about Biei, how it is in comparison to Furano, the best time to go there, recommended sightseeing spots, and the best cafes and shops of the season.Read more

about Hokkaido labo

"Hokkaido Labo" is a media website which provides detailed information in order for you to enjoy Hokkaido as much as you want.

This website is managed by the travel agency "White Bear Family," operating more than 30 years since the establishment.

We have been providing tours to Hokkaido to more than 1 million people. However, because of the vast land of Hokkaido, there are still a lot of attractive things which are yet to be shared. And still, there are a lot of people who have never been to Hokkaido.

Due to the above fact, we have opened this "Hokkaido Labo" with our desire to make more people love Hokkaido, and actually make them go to Hokkaido.

With our long experience, we go gather information, take photos, and share the real and detailed information!

If we could make you feel like "I want to visit Hokkaido" or "I like Hokkaido more than before" by reading our articles, nothing would make us happier than that.